Wabash is a small city of 10,000. Set along the banks of the namesake river, Wabash fights against the "sleepy rural town" stereotype by investing in the arts and local businesses. "We've suffered population decline over the past 20 years or more," says Bob Lundquist, a lifelong resident and managing broker of Lundquist Appraisals and Real Estate. "But Wabash is unique for a town of this size. The downtown has been updated quite a bit [and been transformed] into something that looks 1,000% better than it did 20 years ago."
Wabash is a small city of 10,000. Set along the banks of the namesake river, Wabash fights against the "sleepy rural town" stereotype by investing in the arts and local businesses.
The Wabash Cultural District is a 2.5-mile stretch downtown where residents shop, eat and play.
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Investments in the arts spur downtown development
Adding Ford Theater to the Honeywell Center and renovating the Eagles Theater helped spur development downtown. Wabash has received millions of dollars in grant funding through Indiana's Stellar Communities program to improve the quality of life for residents, including expanding parks, improving infrastructure, and repurposing or renovating dilapidated storefronts. The goal is to attract new residents, and the steps they've taken aren't pricing current residents out.
A much-needed railroad overpass project will construct a bridge over an active stretch of railroad that sees 17 train crossings daily and can block traffic for up to an hour and a half each day. The project should be complete by January 2026.
Like other Midwestern towns, the Great Recession in 2008 shuttered businesses in Wabash, including the General Tire manufacturing plant that employed nearly 500 people. Nowadays, the city's biggest employers are Parkview Wabash Hospital, Ford Meter Box and Living Essentials, the makers of 5-Hour Energy.
The Honeywell Center is Wabash's cultural hub and home to the Ford Theater, Clark Gallery and Eugenia's Restaurant.
The Parkview Wabash Hospital is one of the city's largest employers.
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Limited housing options, but new developments on the horizon
The median price for a home in Wabash is about $160,000, which is lower than the national, Kokomo and Fort Wayne medians. However, options are limited. "We've struggled here with a housing shortage in every bracket, including rental properties," Lundquist says. "I think it's been a lack of new construction; there's just no new housing really to choose from. And people in existing homes, like a lot of [towns], they're staying in place." Wabash is heading in the right direction — a housing task force is researching how to address the housing shortage. In the meantime, two new residential communities are under construction. Honeywell Golf Course will anchor Kentner Creek Crossing and offer 26 lots for development, while Legacy Heights will have 26 single-family homes and 18 attached duplexes for sale once complete.
The median price for a home in Wabash is about $160,000, which is lower than the national, Kokomo and Fort Wayne medians.
Buyers can get a lot of home for the money in Wabash.
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Shopping and dining in the Wabash Cultural District
The Wabash Cultural District is a 2.5-mile stretch downtown where residents shop, eat and play. Locally owned boutiques, eateries, and art studios and galleries fill the area. "I run into people who are visiting and tell me they're thinking of moving here because they love the downtown," Lundquist says. "They'll stay at the Charley Creek Inn, watch a show at the Ford Theater and then grab a meal." Fort Wayne has more retail options and big box stores.
Painted elephant statues in downtown Wabash honor Modoc, a circus elephant who escaped in 1942 and caused a five-day rampage through Wabash and Huntington counties. The scent of roasted peanuts lured her to a Wabash drugstore, where she promptly knocked a woman to the ground, scarfed up as many peanuts as she could, and smashed through the back door before continuing her chaotic journey. Her legacy lives on through public art and Modoc's Market, a café in the former drugstore that celebrates the peanut-loving pachyderm.
Visitors to downtown Wabash will see many elephants, an homage to the city's famous pachyderm, Modoc.
Modoc's Market in downtown Wabash is a great place to grab a coffee and catch up with friends.
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Parks and art in Wabash
The parks department oversees nine parks totaling about 70 acres. Wabash City Park is the largest at 35 acres and features a playground, paved walking paths and pavilions. Folks head to the Wabash River Trail for kayaking, canoeing and hiking. The Honeywell Center is Wabash's cultural hub and home to the Ford Theater, Clark Gallery and Eugenia's Restaurant. The Eagles Theater is a five-story renovated arts and entertainment center with two theaters, classrooms and a grand ballroom.
Wabash's Eagles Theatre opened in 1906.
Wabash City Park has a large swing area.
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Public and private schools in Wabash
Wabash City Schools serves public school students and earns a B-minus from Niche. Students can complete their first year of college through Wabash High School's early college/dual credit program. Wabash also has private school options like Emmanuel Christian School, a K-12 institution that earns a C-plus from Niche.
Wabash High School receives an overall Niche grade of B-.
Emmanuel Christian School is a private school.
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Wabash chili cook-off is a 20-year tradition
Wabash has year-round events and activities. First Fridays bring music, food trucks and vendors to Main Street. "They have one of the largest chili cook-offs in the country. It's been going on for probably over 20 years," Lundquist says. Hundreds of competitors set up themed booths at the Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity Cook Off and prepare their chili from scratch at Paradise Spring Historical Park. The annual Founders Festival celebrates the history of Wabash with vendors, entertainment and a parade downtown.
Residents drive to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis
Indianapolis is about 80 miles away via State Route 13, while Fort Wayne is roughly 46 miles away through U.S. Route 24. There's no public transportation in Wabash. Fort Wayne International Airport has flights from four airline carriers, but Indianapolis International Airport offers more flights and destinations 100 miles away. Parkview Wabash Hospital was built in 2018 and was named one of the Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals by the Chartis Center for Rural Health in 2022.
Wabash has snowy winters and humid summers, with tornadoes possible from March to July. Crime data is not readily available.
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